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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29884617">The Enigma of Erwin Smith</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subaruchan192/pseuds/Subaruchan192'>Subaruchan192</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Erwin passes out, Levi Ackerman Has Trust Issues, Levi Ackerman Needs a Hug, Levi Ackerman Swears, Levi Ackerman is Bad at Feelings, Levi can't figure Erwin out, Levi can't handle kindness, Levi takes care of Erwin, M/M, POV Erwin Smith, POV Levi Ackerman, Post-Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku | Attack on Titan: No Regrets, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Sassy Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Soft Erwin Smith, Trust Issues</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 16:35:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,554</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29884617</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Subaruchan192/pseuds/Subaruchan192</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Levi.” Erwin sat up and turned his head around to look after him. Levi truly stopped his stride, not turning around to him, but he waited. “Thank you and I’m sorry that I have worried you.”<br/>“Tch!” Levi’s head darted abruptly back to him, his dark eyes glaring. “As if I’d be worried.”<br/>“Still.” A warm, soft smile laid on his lips. “Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.”<br/>Levi blinked, his masquerade suddenly not fitting onto his confused face anymore.<br/>“Erwin…”<br/>“I guess I’ve been overdoing it a bit lately.” Erwin laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.<br/>“You don’t say.”</p><p>or: After the events of "no regrets" Levi still mistrusts Erwin. One evening, however, he is forced to take care of him after Erwin collapses and has to overthink his image of the Commander.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Levi Ackerman/Erwin Smith</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Amazing AOT Fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Enigma of Erwin Smith</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I just really wanted to capture the moment in which Levi’s opinion about Erwin  begins to change and develop into the relationship we know and love in canon. So here is my attempt 😅</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was well past midnight when Erwin walked down the narrow corridor to his bedchamber, deeply engrossed in a report he was leafing through, but the letters began to blur before his eyes.</p><p>It was another long day in a series of exhausting days that came with being the new Commander of the Survey Corps and to restructure the unit. Slowly even Erwin's iron could no longer dispel the fatigue. His eyes began to burn and for a moment the room seemed to spin.</p><p>“Erwin!” Levi leaned against the wall beside the door and pushed himself off the moment he caught sight of Erwin and walked briskly towards him.</p><p>“Levi.” He blinked in irritation. He hadn't noticed him. “What are you doing here? You're supposed to be at the outpost with Hanji.”</p><p>“That’s exactly where I’m coming from, smartass,” Levi grumbled and rolled his eyes. “Is everything alright? Normally you notice everything, and now you almost run into me.”</p><p>“Yes, yes, just a long day.” Erwin waved off. “Well, then, come on in.”</p><p>With that he disappeared into his room and Levi followed on his heels. Erwin's quarter was small and spartan with only the bare necessities: A bed, a desk, a chair and a bowl to wash himself.</p><p>He felt Levi judging gaze at the untidiness of his room- well, to his standards- after he stepped in, but Erwin was too tired to bother. For a moment his blue eyes darted between the chair in front of his desk, which almost seemed to break into two under its workload, or the alluring, inviting couch underneath the window that called for him to rest.</p><p>With a sigh, Erwin brushed a few stray strands of blond hair out of his face and decided for the chair. He was still the commander after all. No time to get comfortable just yet.</p><p>“So, what owes me the pleasure of your late…,” he began as he took a step forward but the moment his boot touched the floor, the words fell away as a dull, deep peal seemed to vibrate through all of his body, up from his head down to his toes. Erwin gasped as it felt as if the entire room was shaking and rested his head into his palm, suddenly feeling dizzy.</p><p>“Erwin?” Levi suddenly sounded concerned as he hurried over to him and touched his arm. “Are you alright?”</p><p>“Yes,” he replied immediately, his words gliding out of his mouth on a deep exhale as the grumble and vibration seemed to disappear, leaving only a quiet, high-pitched shrieking inside his ears behind.</p><p>Slowly, he blinked his eyes open. The contours of the room were still slightly shapeless in the dim light of the candles, but his depth of sharpness seemed to return.</p><p>“I’m fine.” With the best assuring smile he could muster, he turned his head to Levi, only to find a surprisingly worried expression in the dark eyes as Levi still behaved quite absent and harshly towards him.</p><p>It wasn't that they didn't get along. Levi had accepted him as Commander of the Survey Corps and behaved professionally, but the personal level remained tense. Levi still blamed him for how he had come here and his friends had died because he had used them as pawns. It was so much easier to deal with the pain that way. Erwin knew that and let it happen. He already carried so much guilt on his shoulders, it made no difference and if it made Levi feel better, Erwin was happy to be the scapegoat.</p><p>Levi shrugged and turned abruptly away, walking around the desk, carelessly throwing a file onto his desk.</p><p>“So, Hanji asked me to bring you a report about their latest results.” It was clear to hear how much Levi disliked being used for such menial tasks and Erwin could understand it in a way. Levi was one of the most skilled fighters he had ever seen. A natural in it as horrible as it was. He had the potential to become humanity's strongest warrior, but he had only been with the Survey Corps a short time. Promoting him straight away would only increase the resentment some of the members already felt towards him for being a criminal and Levi still had a lot to learn. Teamwork, for example, and that was why Erwin had assigned him to Hanji's squad for the time being. At least Hanji would only see him for what he really was and meet him without prejudice. That was their special ability and Erwin hoped it would show Levi that he didn’t have to be cautious all the time.</p><p>“Thank you, Levi,” he said and smiled as he looked up. “I’ll have a look at it immediately. You can go and get some sleep.”</p><p>Levi didn’t nod or showed any other kind of acknowledgement. Instead, he took a stride forward, the green cloak of the Survey Corps puffing behind him like a wing as he walked past Erwin.</p><p>The moment he left his sight the gentle smile disappeared on Erwin’s face and he lowered his head. It would take a long time until Levi would stop pushing him away and for a moment, he wondered why it mattered to him so much. Was that a kind of atonement? Was that his way of asking for forgiveness?</p><p>He let out a small, not audible sigh, but then he composed himself. There was no time for this, now.</p><p>Just when Erwin took another wide step the high, shrieking sound was back and ran through his brain like a flash. Dark spots began to dance in front of his eyes, slowly consuming more and more of his sight as the room suddenly began to spin around him, contours and colours blurring into each other as if someone had smudged through a fresh painting.</p><p>“Erwin?” Levi’s voice sounded far away and muffled when Erwin groaned and rested his head back into his hand. His legs began to tremble, slowly giving out under him. Erwin wanted to brace himself somewhere, but there was nothing within reach.</p><p>“Erwin!” Levi's startled shout was the last thing he heard as his legs gave way beneath him and the world around him sank into darkness.</p><p>~*~</p><p>Levi swirled around when he heard a dull sound, just in time to see how the always strong commander of the Survey Corps was collapsing.</p><p>“Erwin!” Instinctively, he rushed forward to catch him. At the last moment he managed to grab the sleeve of the white shirt, but the fabric seemed to slip out of his hand. Quick as a flash, wrapped his arm around Erwin's stomach to brace him, but the commander's weight and the bitch of gravity threw him mercilessly to the ground.</p><p>Stars danced in front of Levi's eyes as the back of his head hit the wooden floor and the air was pushed out of his lungs in a wheeze.</p><p>“Damn,” he groaned in pain and forced himself to open his eyes, immediately searching for Erwin in concern. The commander’s head lay on his chest, eyes closed and the golden hair astray over his forehead. “Erwin!”</p><p>He shook his shoulder, but as expected there was no response. Erwin was unconscious.</p><p>“What a shit!” Levi cursed, closing his eyes for a moment, before he carefully freed himself, making sure to keep Erwin's head supported.</p><p>But what now? He couldn't leave him on the floor, but both the couch and the bed were far away and Levi could only get him there by dragging him across the floor. He couldn't do that and for the moment he suppressed the question of why this was so important to him, even though he couldn't stand Erwin.</p><p>“Mike?” he called out, but the night stayed silent. “Anyone?”</p><p>Still no reaction. Maybe he should go outside and seek help, but if the other members of the Survey Corps would hear that something happened to their mighty, invincible commander there would be a turmoil. Something Erwin wouldn’t want. Or they might believe that Levi had something to do with it. He was a criminal after all as they always made clear to him.</p><p>“You've got to be kidding me.” He threw a long, annoyed gaze at Erwin and sighed. “What am I going to do with you now?”</p><p>He probably had no choice. He had to try to move him without hurting him. He wondered if he could lift him. He was strong, but Erwin was so much taller and heavier than him and the starting point was not ideal as he lacked the leverage. So, dragging after all?</p><p>With a deep sigh, he went down on his knees and tried to lift Erwin up, but Erwin's body was as limp as a wet sack and Levi was unable to heave the centre of gravity over his shoulder and he gave up his attempt. Why did Erwin have to be so damn tall?</p><p>In the end, he hooked in Erwin’s shoulders and carefully pulled him over the bed. The brown boots of the commander squeaked over the wooden floor, leaving a faint drag mark behind.</p><p>“You owe me one for that,” Levi gasped from the effort. “I demand at least one day off!”</p><p>Being grumpy was a foolish attempt to cover how worried he was. Levi was aware of it. He might hold a deep, hot scorn about the events that had led to Furlan’s and Isabel’s death deep inside his stomach, but he respected Erwin’s way of leadership. If he was finally honest with himself, he would have to admit that Erwin wasn’t to blame for their death. Just like he had told him back then, but he didn't want to feel this pain. This darkness. Blaming Erwin for it felt better, easier, even though it was unfair.</p><p>Maybe it was time he would leave this pain behind. Maybe it was time to forgive Erwin and himself, but Levi didn’t know if he was capable of this.</p><p>With quite some effort, Levi managed to pull Erwin over to his bed and to carefully rest him down on it.  For a moment, Levi stayed like this, hovering above the commander and just having a look at him. Erwin looked quite different when he was asleep, he had to admit and sighed, while he brushed a stray strand of gold out of Erwin’s closed eyes. When awake it was often hard to guess how old exactly Erwin was, his expression varying from wisdom of age to a youthful, dashing smile and eyes shining brighter than any gem.</p><p>But now, asleep and embraced by the warm light of the candle, he looked so young and soft. Maybe even vulnerable with the certain hardness of determination gone.</p><p>It felt like Levi saw <em>Erwin</em> for the first time. Not one of the roles he had to fill out. Just the person.</p><p>With a sigh, Levi began to undo the straps around Erwin’s thigh so that he was able to remove his boots- there was no way he was going to let Erwin sleep in his bed with these muddy things on.</p><p>As he performed these movements, which by now had become second nature to him, Levi couldn't help but notice that he wasn't entirely exempt from seeing Erwin as invincible either. Erwin demanded a lot from his subordinates, but this incident showed all the more that he made even more demands on himself. One could think what one wanted of him, but he wasn’t someone who rested on a chair and gave orders. He was always in the front line with them and Levi respected that. He had seen too many times when the supposed bigwigs didn't give a shit about their subordinates.</p><p>At that moment, as he was covering him with the blanket, he realised that Erwin was also just a human being, probably not much older than Levi himself, who was simply trying his best to protect humanity.</p><p>Levi’s eyes saddened as he began to understand how heavy the burden of being Erwin Smith was. He had always known it, deep within. Levi knew better than anyone else how fucked up this world was and that there was no way out of the morass by sticking to the moral codex. Often enough you had to do despicable things to achieve good ones. So, who was he to judge what Erwin did to ensure the persistence of the Survey Corps?</p><p>It was a question Levi rather didn’t want to think about further, because he didn’t want to find the answer in the depth of himself. Therefore, he decided that it was time to leave. He had done enough for Erwin.</p><p>Didn’t he?</p><p>Levi stopped his steps on the way to the door and pressed his lips into a thin line. He turned his head back to Erwin who rested in his bed and looked so helpless. He grumbled, torn between two urges inside of him and he wondered to which side he should give in. His hand clenched into a fist, but in the end, he let out the tension with a sigh and turned around to get a chair.</p><p>“You truly owe me one for that, Erwin,” he said in his usual, sharp tone as he sat down and crossed his legs. “Now I have to stay awake while you take a nap.”</p><p> ~*~</p><p>The morning was already dawning when Erwin regained consciousness. Slowly he opened his eyes. The world around him was still blurred, a beautiful play of colours as soft pastel shades. Erwin blinked in confusion. What had happened? The last thing he could remember was inviting Levi in and after that there was just an endless blackness.</p><p>God, he was so tired. It felt like lead weights were hanging on his limbs, but that didn't matter now. There were so many things he had to take care of.</p><p>“Look who's finally awake.” Just as he was about to sit up, he heard a familiar, annoyed voice.</p><p>“Levi?” Astonished, Erwin turned his head to the side. Levi was truly sitting on a chair next to him, his arms and legs crossed, giving him a disparaging look.</p><p>“Good morning, Sleeping Beauty. Had enough sleep?”</p><p>“What happened?” Erwin tried to sit up, but suddenly his heartbeat thudded in his head and the world began to spin again.</p><p>“Now stay the fuck down,” Levi scolded, pushing him back into the pillow with ease. “Otherwise, you'll just collapse again and I've dragged you to bed for absolutely nothing. “</p><p>“You did that?”</p><p>“Who else?” Levi snorted contemptuously. “You're pretty heavy.”</p><p>“I…” Erwin blinked, confused as he rolled his head back to stare at the ceiling. “I don’t know what to say.”</p><p>“Now that you're awake, I can go.” Elegantly, Levi stood up and smoothed out his clothes. One last time, he gave him a warning look, his dark eyes piercingly sharp. “And you take it easy. You're no use to us out of action, understand?”</p><p>Erwin gasped, his wide starring at him surprised, but Levi had an unyielding gaze which almost seemed to chain Erwin to his bed. Levi turned around without another word and walked towards the door. With each step he took, Erwin’s confusion disappeared.</p><p>“Levi.” Erwin sat up and turned his head around to look after him. Levi truly stopped his stride, not turning around to him, but he waited. “Thank you and I’m sorry that I have worried you.”</p><p>“<em>Tch!</em>” Levi’s head darted abruptly back to him, his dark eyes glaring. “As if I’d be worried.”</p><p>“Still.” A warm, soft smile laid on his lips. “Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.”</p><p>Levi blinked, his masquerade suddenly not fitting onto his confused face anymore.</p><p>“Erwin…”</p><p>“I guess I’ve been overdoing it a bit lately.” Erwin laughed sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck.</p><p>“You don’t say.” Levi huffed and rolled his eyes, barely able to supress a twitch of his mouth. Erwin was, <em>felt</em>, different now. Somehow softer, warmer, more like a ray of sunshine rather than adamantine determination and Levi wondered which one was the real one. Which of them was <em>Erwin</em>? Because Levi wasn’t sure if this side of him was an attempt of manipulation to increase his loyalty. It wouldn’t be the first time someone tried it on him, but it didn’t feel like that and normally, Levi could trust his instincts. Still, he needed to be on guard as Erwin had been the only one ever able to trick him. That was probably why he was still cautious like an animal caught in a corner.</p><p>Keeping that up, though, wouldn’t be easy as the atmosphere felt rather comfortable and nice, Erwin so easily playing along with him that Levi actively had to remind himself of that.</p><p>Before he even noticed it, Levi had turned around and had walked back to Erwin’s bedside, who still smiled almost foolishly and his blue eyes shone brightly. Inwardly, Levi wondered if these two people he had met truly were the same. They felt so different and it was difficult to align them.</p><p>In this moment, as he sat back down again, the thought came to him that this was gruff to Erwin because he couldn’t make sense of him or rather didn’t trust his assessment.</p><p>“I guess it’s not an easy task being the new commander,” Levi said in a more conciliatory tone.</p><p>“No, it isn’t.” Erwin shook his head, the warm smile faltering on his face and his expression became more thoughtful. “I wasn’t sure if I should accept when Shadis asked me.”</p><p>“Then why did you?” Levi asked and there was a spark of curiosity inside of him, because the answer might tell him more about Erwin than he might be aware of. Erwin frowned and crossed his arms, thinking about the answer for a while as he starred outside to the slowly rising sun.</p><p>“Because no one else would have done it,” he replied slowly. “They were all dead. Besides...”</p><p>He blinked, as if taken aback by what almost escaped his lips.</p><p>“Besides?”, Levi echoed and leaned forward a little, resting his elbows on his knees.</p><p>“How strange...,” Erwin whispered instead, smiling softly again.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>The Commander blinked, but then shook his head.</p><p>“Oh, nothing.”</p><p>Levi frowned, unable to deny that he was now curious, but also wary. Either Erwin was truly a master manipulator-which he could imagine-or he was just becoming more sympathetic in his eyes. It would have made Levi rather suspicious if he had told him. If he just blindly trusted him for no reason, because then he wasn't a good commander. That much was certain, because the real threat wasn't the Titans. They stayed behind the walls, after all. No, humanity was locked inside the walls with the real danger: with itself, because only humans were capable of scrupulosity.</p><p>“So, why did you?”</p><p>“Because there’s a sin I have to atone for.” Suddenly, a dark shadow covered Erwin’s face as he starred with despise at the blanket, his fingers clenching into the fabric until his knuckles turned.</p><p>“Ah, so there are personal reasons behind it, too.” Levi leaned back on his chair and crossed his legs. That felt better, because it was a motivation Levi could handle. It was the idea of someone being altruistic and aiming for an idealistic aim that he mistrusted. That someone just fought to save humanity. He had no doubt that some believe it, but it was only to hide what greed laid beneath it.</p><p>“There always is,” Erwin said. Deep, blue eyes met Levi, the whole reality of the world’s state mirroring in them. For a moment, Levi was surprised by the sheer gravity, but then he huffed and nodded, a fine, faint smile raising along his lips.</p><p>Maybe they weren’t so different.</p><p>Wait, what?</p><p>Levi pulled away from that thought that had hammered through his mind and resisted the urge to shake his head. He shouldn’t think that. What was it about Erwin that felt so natural? That Levi began to forget everything he had to learn so painfully?</p><p>Why was everything developing so fast?</p><p>A knock on the door tore Levi out of his surprise and without a second warning it opened.</p><p>“Erwin, we need to…” Mike walked in, his head buried in reports, but he stopped his steps. A deep frown carved its way into his forehead as he realised the situation. “What’s going on here?”</p><p>He sounded sceptical. He knew that Levi and Erwin weren’t exactly on the best of terms- well, from Levi’s side. Inwardly, Levi braced himself to be thrown out, followed the despiteful stare in Mike’s eyes. The was Erwin’s right hand after all and it was plain obvious that he would protect Erwin no matter what. He had shown it several times and for him, Levi still had to prove himself trustworthy. Not that he could blame him. After all, he had tried to kill Erwin twice in Mike's presence.</p><p>“Oh, right, we had an appointment. I’m sorry, Mike, I forgot about that.” He sighed and sat up, throwing his long legs over the bedside. He still trembled slightly as he stood up and Levi was pretty sure that Mike caught it, but the giant staid quiet, only watching how the commander moved over to the wardrobe to get a shirt, before his blue eyes wandered back to Levi with a sceptical gaze.</p><p>“Mike, spare him of this look, will you?” Erwin said with an authoritative tone, his back still turned towards him as he slid his right arm into a fresh shirt. “He helped me yesterday. Otherwise, you’d have found your commander on the floor with a huge bulge on his head. What kind of an impression would that make?”</p><p>Mike’s eyes widened in shock.</p><p>“Are you alright?”</p><p>“I am.” Erwin turned back around, buttoning up his shirt as he walked up to his right hand, but his gaze rested on Levi who had watched the scene with a hard, distant expression in his eyes, his arms crossed in front of his chest. “Thanks to Levi.”</p><p>“I…” Mike huffed and then turned to Levi; the distrust gone from his eyes- for now. “Thank you.”</p><p>“Nothing to thank me for. I just happened to be around.” Levi shrugged and then got up. “Well, I better leave you to your conference. I should head back to Hanji’s outpost.”</p><p>With that he gathered his jacket and cloak from one of the chairs and put it back on.</p><p>“Levi, wait.” Erwin’s calm voice suddenly appeared loud in the silent room and Levi stopped his walk towards the door due to his request- again. He sighed and turned around, but Erwin was looking at Mike. “Give me 10 more minutes, please? I’ll meet you in the conference room.”</p><p>Mike hesitated, but only for a moment, before he nodded and left without a word, pulling the door closed behind him.</p><p>Neither Levi nor Erwin watched him leave. They only stared at each other. As they heard the quiet sound of the door shutting, Levi waited for whatever Erwin wanted from him, but the commander stayed silent, deep blue eyes only looking at him.</p><p>“I'm not going to thank you for putting the situation right,” Levi grumbled annoyed after a few moments too long.</p><p>“I don't want you to,” Erwin replied. “I just…”</p><p>He took a deep breath and sighed, disconnecting their gazes.</p><p>“Just spill it already,” Levi said impatiently. “I don’t have all day.”</p><p>“No, you don’t. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“Stop apologising. You’re the fucking commander. You have to apologise for nothing.”</p><p>“Maybe.” Erwin huffed, something sad in his voice. “But what kind of a human would I be, then?”</p><p>Whenever Levi thought he would have finally figured Erwin Smith out, now, he said something unexpected and it utterly confused him.</p><p>Never before had he met a man like him.</p><p>“You can have my bed. Rest a little.” Erwin smiled and pointed towards it with an inviting gesture.</p><p>That truly startled Levi, though he didn’t show it. Had he heard correctly? Erwin offered him to sleep in his bed? Can you believe that?</p><p>“I don’t sleep in a bed,” Levi refused and Erwin blinked in astonishment.</p><p>“You don’t sleep in a bed?”</p><p>“I said that, didn’t I? Is your brain not working yet?” Erwin said nothing; only looked at Levi with something that almost appeared to be sadness and compassion.</p><p>“Why?” Levi was truly tempted to say something mean, turn around and leave, but Erwin knew where he came from. Knew what he was and what he had been. It was only his sheltered childhood-at least that's what Levi suspected-that kept him from seeing the answer.</p><p>And the truth was that Erwin was actually kind to him. Had always been in his own kind of way. He had knelt down into the mud to him when he had made the offer---<em>when he had blackmailed him</em>, Levi corrected himself.</p><p>He was the first who had ever done that. It sure had been a way of manipulation to get down on his eyelevel, but it had shown respect. For his skills, but still. It was more than he had ever get in his life.</p><p>Still, he wanted to stay here. For Furlan and Isabel so that their death gained a meaning and what the Survey Corps tried wasn’t wrong, so maybe he should show his good will.</p><p>“You know where I come from,” he replied, his voice hard and full of the scorn the memories still ignited inside of him. “I barely had one to sleep to begin with. It had taken years till Furlan, Isabel and I were able to occupy a ruin and kind of made it our home. Or something we could call like that. Isabel was the youngest so she got to sleep in the bed first when we were able to get one. Then Furlan. I mostly slept in the chair. Which brings me to the second reason. It is more difficult to fend off an attack when lying down.”</p><p>Erwin did not look shocked, as Levi had expected, or incredulous. He did not laugh and say 'good joke'. No, Erwin did not show any of the reactions he had expected. Least of all he would have wanted to see pity, but he didn't find that either. Instead, Erwin just looked at him impenetrably and nodded, a resigned expression in his eyes.</p><p>“Here you have a bed now and no one will attack you either,” Erwin said gently. “It's not perfect. There's probably no perfect place in this world, but maybe over time it could become a home.”</p><p>Levi widened his eyes. No, he couldn't accept that yet. It was still too early. He wasn't ready for that yet. He had to get out of here. He had to escape.</p><p>“Thank you, I'll pass,” he snarled, his eyes glaring daggers at Erwin who stayed unimpressed.</p><p>“Very well.” Erwin nodded. “Well, I have to go or Mike will rip my head off.”</p><p>An amused laugh escaped the commander and once again Levi was overwhelmed by the sudden change of gear, while the commander left the room without any further words.</p><p>For a few moments, Levi just stood there, stunned and then groaned.</p><p>Erwin Smith was truly an enigma.</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>That was such a nice change to my supportive, established and healthy relationship I normally write for these two.<br/>I just had so much fun with the dragging scene and having an all sassy Levi. I hope you enjoyed it, too 😄</p><p>Have a nice Saturday, Subaru 😊❤</p></blockquote></div></div>
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